Car construction



July 19, 1938. s. SIMONSON I on: CONSTRUCTION Filed March 29, 1934 sSheets-She et 1 bjz g vard July '19, 1938. s. SIMONSON CAR CONSTRUCTIONFiled March 29, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 &

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as, I Km July 19; 1938. s. SIMONSON CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed March 29,1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July, 19, 1938 time) srATEs CARcoNsTRUorIoN I poration of-Delaware I Application March 29, ll?! Claims.

cooperate to form a substantially streamlined connection between thecars.

Present daypassenger'coachs are proyided at the ends with closedvestibules having U-s'haped frames which provide openings or doorways atthe ends of the car, and means are. provided to. form .closedpassageways between the adjacent doorways of each two cars so thatpassengers may walk from one car,jtoanother To this end bufler platesare provided which are resiliently mounted at eachend of a coach andwhich carry U-shaped face plates or frames corresponding in shape to thedoorways in the vestibules but spaced therefrom. The connection betweeneach of these frames and the vestibule door frame is made by means of afabric diaphragm or bellows. When two cars are coupled, the butlerplates and face plates or frames are in contact, but can'slide laterallyrelative to one another as the cars go around curves or cross over fromone track to another, the resilienttm ountingfloi the butter platesbeing such as to permit swinging or inclination of these plates relativeto the body'oi the car. With a conventional construction as described,there is a considerable space'between each two carswhere there isnothing except a closed passage of considerably less lateral andvertical dimensions than the body otthe car, leaving large pockets orrecesses on bothsidesthereof. The

increased speeds at [which modern passenger train operate render itdesirable to have streamlined connections between cars so that thecrosssectional contour of the trainis the same throughout itsentirelength. Heretofore no satisfactory means has been devised formaking a connection between two passenger coaches of theconventionaltype which will permit the relative movements' necessarywhen rounding curves and at the same time will. preserve thestreamlining between cars. I, v

' It is an object of the present invention'to provide means wherebytheconnection between two coupled passenger coaches always hassubstantially the same cross sectlon'al contour as the body of the coachwhereby streamlining ofthe train is secured.

Anotherobject is to provide means of the type characterized above whichm'eans'is of rigid construction, being preferably made of' metalalthough any other suitable'material may be employed.

v A further object is to provide telescoping or sliding streamliningmeans at the end of a coach with provision for lateral displacement whenrounding curves or making crossovers or turnouts.

"sigvard Simonson,- Butler, Pa., assignor to O. C;

Duryea Corporation, Wilmington,- Del., a cor- 1934, Serial to. 718,006

A still further object is to provide at the end of each coach astructure mounted to move with- PATENT OFFICE I respect to the body ofthe coach and to telescope with'a cooperating part of the body of thecoach in order to maintain a smooth, substantially un-' broken surfacebetween two coupled coaches.

'One embodiment of the invention hasv been illustrated somewhatdiagrammatically, in the accompanying drawings, but it is to beexpressly understood that said drawings are for purposes of illustrationonly and are not to be construed as a definition of the limits of theinvention, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose.1

In said drawings,

Fig. 1 is 'a horizontal sectional view showing the adjacent ends of twocoupled carsnprovided with the streamlining means between the cars (thecoupling means being "omitted for the sake of clearness); I Fig. 2 madiagrammatic view illustrating the action of said streamlining means ona turnout or cross-over; F153 is an end view of one side of the end of apassenger coach embodying the invention;

Fig. 4 is a verticals'ectional view through the end of a coach embodyingthe invention; and

Fig. 51s a diagrammatic end view of another construction embodying theinvention, parts bein omitted for the sake of clearness.

.Fig'; 1 shows the extreme ends of the vestibules oftwo adjacentpassenger coaches of any suitable construction. As shown in this figure,the end wall i of the vestibule extends from the side of the car toa-door post or frame 2 adjaeent the center"o'f the car. Between the doorposts or frames 2 of each car is a passageway 3, and a portion of thesteps leading to the car vestibule platform is illustrated at t. It willbe understood that this construction is duplicated on the two sides ofthe car and that the same construction is employed at the endof theadjacent car, the same reference numerals being employed to indicate thecorresponding parts. The construction thus far described isintended tobe typical of conventional car constructions now employed, and may varyconsiderably as to its details as it constitutes rio partper se 01' thepresent invention.

It will also be understood that when the two cars are coupled togetherin the conventional manner, the door frames 2 at theiends of the carsare spaced apart. In the conventional car, a bufler plate is mounted atthe end of the car beyond the vestibule, which has-a flat outer surfaceadapted to contact with'the corresponding -1 resiliently mounted so thatwhen two cars are coupled, the buffer plates and face plates areresiliently maintained in contact, and the resilient mounting is suchthat the buffer plates can swing in a horizontal plane with respect tothe bodies of the cars on which they are mounted, this being necessaryon rounding curves, etc. The present invention in one form makes use ofbuffer plates mounted on the ends of the cars in the conventional or inany suitable manner, but instead of terminating short of the sides ofthe car as in the conventional construction, these buffer plates extendsubstantially the entire width of the car for a 'purpose to bedescribed. In building new cars, the buffer plates may be designed andconstructed in this way; in applying the invention to existing cars, thebuffer plates may be replaced or extended in any suitable way. Owing tothe greater lateral extent of .the buffer plates, the resilientmountings th refor (side stems) can be spaced farther apart th in theconventional construction. a

As shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the buffer plates 5 extend substantiallythe entire width of the car, these plates being of relatively smallvertical extent adjacent the central portions as clearly shown in Figs.3 and 4 to provide room thereunder for the coupler heads. At each endhowever, said buifer plates are provided with downwardly extendingportions 6. In the form shown, said buffer plates are carried by sidestems I connected thereto by vertical pins 8, said stems being slidablymounted in brackets 9 and I rigidly secured in any suitable manner tothe car body. Flanges II are secured on the stems I and springs I! areinterposed between each flange II and the inner bracket casting Ill. Theinner end of each stem 7 is threaded and carries a stop nut l3. Withthis construction, when two coaches are coupled together, the bufferplates come into contact and drive the stems I inwardly against thetension of the springs l2, so that the buffer plates aremaintained'resiliently in contact with one another. As usual, theopenings in the bracket castings 9 and 10 through which the stems 1 passare enlarged in order to permit lateral movement of the stems I therein,so that the buffer plates can in effect swing with respect to the bodyof the car about a vertical axis. The buffer plates of adjacent carsremain always in contact, and in order to, prevent one buffer plate fromriding over the other, the downwardly extending portions 6 are provided.

In order to provide the streamlining discussed above, cowling is carriedby the end of the car and cooperates with a structure carried by thebuffer plate. These elements are arranged to telescope within oneanother in order that the buffer plate may swing relatively to the carbody while maintaining the streamlined surfacesubstantially unbroken. Tothis end the cowling section is rigidly secured to the car body, or isformed as a part thereof, said cowling providing a longitudinallyextending surface substantially as a continuation of the walls of thecar, or in other words having the same cross-sectional contour as thecar body. The cooperating structure carried by the buifer platetelescopes within the cowling and has a curved surface. Although thesestreamlining element have no rigid connection, they can be made to fitclosely together leaving only a very small opening therebetween.Referring again to the drawings, the cowling secured to or formed as apart of the car body has a flat outer surface I, which is substantia lya continuation of the surface of the car, and the cowling extendscontinuously up one side of the car, across the top and down the otherside. This cowling can be made of any suitable material, as metal, andcan be either an integral strip or madeof several sections securedtogether in any suitable manner. In the form shown, the cowlingcomprises an integral strip having the cross-sectional form shownclearly in the drawings, that is, a strip of material V-shaped incross-section is formed to conform to the contour of the car. The outerface of the V forms the flat surface ll referred to above, the innerface I! of the V being preferably curved slightly. This cowling can besecured to the car body in any suitable manner as by riveting, welding,etc., or can be made an integral part of the car when building the same.It will be understood that each end of the coach-is provided withcowling of this type.

The cooperating streamlining element or structure is secured to thebuffer plate 5 in any suitable manner as by riveting or welding, or ifdesired, it may be secured to the buffer plate in such a manner that itmay in effect pivot on the buffer plate about a horizontal axis, as byemploying any suitable flexible or hinged connection or by providingresilience in the ends of the buffer plate to permit some twisting abouta horizontal axis. This element is also preferably of rigid materialsuch as metal, etc. andis provided with a flat end face l6 lyingsubstantially in the plane of the outer face of the buffer; plate 5 andproviding therewith a flat plane surface adapted to contact thecorresponding surface of the adjacent car. Secured to the flat portionIt in any suitable manner, or integral therewith,

is an inwardly extending streamlining surface I! adapted to fit closelywithin the surface l5 of the cowling, the surface l'l preferably beingalso curved. Preferably, and as shown, the fiat surface IG and thesurface II are made of a single strip of material bent into triangularcrosssection as clearly shown in the drawings in order to providegreater strength.

Preferably the structure l6, I1 is supported adjacent its upper portionin any suitable way similar to the means employed for supporting thebuffer .plate 5. As shown, resiliently mounted stems I! are secured tosaid structure and are slidably mounted in brackets secured to the carbody, the construction of these stems and the means for slidably andresiliently mounting the same being as shown similar to those employedfor the stems 1.

It will be seen that with this construction, the end of the car presentsa flat plane surface comprising the outer face of the buffer plate 5 andthe outer surface l6 of the streamlining means. These surfaces areunited in a unitary structure which is resiliently mounted at the end ofthe car and is capable of swinging movement relative to the car, whileat the same time the connection between cars is made with asubstantially unbroken streamlined surface.- Owing to the curvature ofthe surfaces 11, however, the carsmay round a curve as shown in Fig. 2while maintaining substantially unbroken the continuous surface contourbetween cars.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the conventional face plates anddiaphragms or bellows have been omitted, although they may be retainedif desired. when omitted, however, and for the convenience and safety ofpassengers walking from one car to the other. a light curtain orourunchanged in the case of a car already contains l8 of any suitablematerial may be stretched between the door posts 2, thus defining apassageway between cars. plates across the space between the end of thevestibule and the buffer plate.

As indicated above; the invention may be employed without omitting theusual vestibule face plates and in such cases it may be desirable tomount the streamlining structure l6, l1 separately from the bufferplate, leaving the latter structed or making it of conventional form ina new car; which the invention is embodied in this way. The buffer plate2|] is of any suitable or conventional form and size and is mounted inthe usual or any suitable manner, the numerals 2| indicating suitableside stems and the numeral 22 a suitable center stem for purposes ofillustration. Carried by vsaid buffer plate 20 is the usual U- shapedvertibule face plate 23, which is connected with the vestibule doorframe by the usual diaphragm or bellows (not shown). of the face plateis shown' resiliently connected with the roof of the car by means of aspring 24 in a conventional manner, but any other suitable constructionmay be employed.

It willbe understood that the cowling l4, i5 is mounted at the end ofthe car, or built into a new car, as described above. The element Ha,Ha, as shown in the drawings, is mounted on the end of the car inthe-same position as in the case of Figs. 1 to 4, but independently ofthe buffer plate 20. Any suitable means may be provided for carrying theelement Mia, Ila, provided that adequate provision is made for movementof the same relative to the car body as described above, As shown, sidestems are indicated generally 25 and 26, which'side stems may be similarin construction to those previously described OI'fOf any other suitableand known -type. The upper portion of the streamlining section may besupported at one or. a plurality of points, 21 indicating side stems forthis purpose.

The operation of the construction shown in Fig. 5 with respect tostreamlining is the same as that described above in connection withFigs. 1

to 4. When cars are coupled;-the buffer plates and face plates areresiliently maintained in contact in'the usual manner. The surfaces lGaare also maintained resiliently in contact and the streamliningstructure is capable of all movements necessary in rounding curves,making cross-overs or turnouts, etc. It will further be observed that acar having the construction of. Fig. 5 may be coupled with a car havingthe construction'of Figs. 1 to 4. Preferably the structure 16a, Ha hasthe same triangular crosssectionas shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

It will be observed that the invention is applicable to the conventionalcar construction without material variation therein, or it may beembodied in new cars during the construction thereof. In applying theinvention to a'car already constructed, some minor variations in themanner involves no interference with the conventional The usual or anysuitable I9 are also employed ,to form flooring cause of the close Fig.5 shows an end view of a car in The upper end and well-known methods ofhandling and coupling cars. The cowling and'streamlining members afforda substantially tight enclosure for the space between the adjacent endsof the cars, be-

fit between the surfaces I5 and i1, and it will be understood that ifdesired leather or metal wipers or other similar means may be employedto completely close the small opening between the surfaces.

The members comprising the streamlining structure may as indicated bemade of any suitable material and either of one or several sections, butpreferably the form illustrated in the drawings is employed because themembers can be r .pressed from relatively light material while at thesame time the construction isv such as to provide rigidity and strength.If greater strength and stiffness is desired, web plates may beinterposedat intervals and welded or otherwise suitably secured to thesurfaces M, l5 of the cowling or to the three surfaces of the triangularmember l6, II. It will further be understood that the contact surfacesmay be treated in any suitable.

or known manner or faced with or made of any suitable material havinganti-friction or sounddeadening qualities, so that the rubbing of thesesurfaces in train service does not result either in damage to thesurfaces or excessive noise.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been described andillustrated in the drawings, it will be understood that the invention iscapable of a variety of mechanical expressions and that changes may bemade in the form, details'of construction and arrangement of the partswithout departing from the spirit of the invention. Reference istherefore to be had to the appended claims for a definition of thelimits of the invention.

""What is claimed is: .1. Car construction comprising a strip of cowlingat the end of the car and V-shaped in crosssection, the outer face ofthe V forming substantially a continuation of the walls of the car, abuffer plate carried at the 'end of the car, and a U-shaped membercarried thereby of substantially triangular cross-section, one face ofsaid member lying in the plane of said buffer plate and another faceextending within said cowling and embraced thereby but spaced from theinner face'of the \I. j

2. Car construction comprising a strip of cowling at the end of the carand V-shape d=-'in cross- -section, the outer face of the V formingsubstantially a continuation of the walls of the car, a bufier platecarried at the end of the car, and a U-shaped member carried'ther'eby ofsubstantially triangular cross-section, one face of said member lying inthe plane of said buffer plate and another face extending within saidcowling and embraced thereby but spaced from the inner face of the V,said two adjacent faces being similarly curved.

3. Car construction comprising cowling at the end of the car andsubstantially V-shaped in cross-section, the outer face of the -Vforming a continuation of the car walls and the inner face having anarcuate shapeQa buffer plate movably mounted at the end of the car andextending substantially the entire width of the car, a U-shaped memberof substantially triangular cross-section having the ends of the legs ofthe U secured to opposite ends of said buffer plate, said U-shapedmember having one face in the plane of the buffer plate and another facearsubstantially the same size and shape as the contour of the top andsides of the car, a streamlining member of substantially the samecontour as said cowling and telescoping therewithin, and means forsupporting said streamlining member from the car for movement relativelythereto both parallel to the center line of the car and pivotally abouta vertical axis, substantially in the center line of the car the outersurface of said member being curved substantially about said verticalaxis and being adjacent to but spaced from the inner surface of saidcowling so as to permit said movement of the streamlining memberrelatively to the car without contact between the telescoping surfaces.

5. A passenger car having a vestibule with an end door for communicationwith an adjacent car and cowling rigidly secured thereto and extendingbeyond said vestibule with a contour of substantially the same size andshape as the contour of the top and sides of the car,a buffer platemounted at the end of the car for movement relatively thereto bothparallel to the center line of the car and pivotally about a verticalaxis substantially in the center line of the car, said buffer plateextending substantially the entire width of the car, and a streamliningmember of substantially the same contour as said cowling and telescopingtherewithin, said member being mounted on and movable with said bufferplate with its outer surface curved substantially about said verticalaxis and adjacent to but spaced from the inner surface of said cowlingso as to permit movement of said bufier plate and streamlining memberrelatively to the car without contact between the telescoping surfaces.

6. A passenger car having cowling rigidly secured thereto at its endwith a contour of substantially the same size and shape as the contourof the top and sides of the car, a streamlining member of substantiallythe same contour as said cowling and telescoping therewithin, a bufferplate and vestibule face place carried by said car, and meansindependent of said buffer plate and vestibule face plate for supportingsaid streamlining member from the car for movement relatively theretoboth parallel to the center line of the car and pivotally about avertical axis substantially in the center line of the car, the outersurface of said member being ad-- jacent to but spaced from the innersurface of said cowling so as to permit said movement of thestreamlining member relatively to the car without contact between thetelescoping surfaces. 4

7. In a passenger car, a car body, a vestibule at the end of the carbody, a U-shaped strip of cowling rigidly secured to and extending fromthe end of the vestibule, said cowling having an outer contour ofsubstantially the same size and shape as the contour of the top andsides of the car and .an inner surface of arcuateshape, a U-shapedstreamlining member telescoping within said cowling and having an outersurface of arcuate shape similar to the inner surface of said cowling,and means for supporting said streamlining member from the car formovement relatively thereto both parallel to the center line of the carand pivotally about a vertical axis, the outer surface of said memberbeing adjacent to but spaced from the inner surface of said cowling soas to permit said movement of the streamlining member relatively to thecar without contact between the telescoping surfaces.

8. Car construction comprising a strip of cowling rigidly secured to andextending beyondthe end of the car, said cowling being substantiallyV-shaped in cross section with the outer face of the V forming acontinuation of the sides and top of the car, a buffer plate mounted atthe end of the car for movement relatively thereto both parallel to thecenter line of the car and pivotally about a vertical axis, and astreamlining member carried by said buffer plate having an outer surfacetelescoping within said cowling and another surface lying in the planeof the buffing surface of said builer plate, the outer surface of saidmember being adjacent to but spaced from the inner face of the cowlingso as to permit said movement of the buffer plate and streamliningmember relatively to the car without contact between the telescopingsurfaces of said member and cowling.

9. Railway car end construction adapted to provide a streamlinedconnection between adjacent cars when coupled together comprisingcowling rigidly secured to andextending from the end of the car with acontour of substan-- tially the same size and shape as the top and sidesof the car, buffer means including. a member extending substantiallyacross the end of the car and a substantially U-shaped frame secured tosaid member at its ends, said buffer means being resiliently mounted onthe car and movable with respect to said cowling about a substantiallyvertical axis disposed substantially centrally of the car and the outeredge of said frame having substantially the same shape and size as thetop and sides of the car, closure means cooperating with said frame andcowling for substantially closing the opening between said frame andcowling, and closure means adjacent the center of the car end forforming a passage between cars.

10. In railway car end construction adapted to provide a streamlinedconnection between adjacent cars, buffer structure resiliently mountedon the end of the car for movement about a substantially vertical axisdisposed substantially centrally of the car and comprising ahorizontally extending member and a substantially U-shaped frame carriedthereby, said structure having a vertical face in a plane transverse tothe car for sliding contact with buffer structure on an adjacent car andan outer contour of substantially the same size and shape as the sidesand top of the car, closure means defining a passageway at the center ofsaid bufler structure, and closure means providing a substantiallyclosed connection between said structure and the sides and top of thecar, said last named means comprising cowling extending from the end ofthe car and forming a continuation of' the sides and top of the car andmeans cooperating with said frame and cowling and substantially closingthe opening therebetween.

11. In a railway car of the non-articulated type having its own trucksand couplers for connection to an adjacent car, car end constructionproviding streamlining between adjacent cars and comprising buflferstructure resiliently mounted at the end of the car for movement about asubstantially vertical axis disposed substantially centrally of the car,said structure having horizontally and vertically extending elements theouter contour of which is substantially the same as the sides and top ofthe car and having a flat contact face in a plane transverse to the carfor sliding contact with buflfer structure of an adjacent car, closuremeans defining a passageway at the center of said buifer structure, andclosure means providing a substantially closed connection between saidstructureand the sides and top of the car and having substantially thesame outer contour, said/last named means comprising cowling carried bythe car and forming a continuation of the sides and top of the car, andmeans extending inwardly from said structure and cooperating with saidcowling to form said substantial closure.

12. In a railway car of the non-articulated type having its own'trucksand couplers for connection to an adjacent car, car end constructionproviding streamlining between adjacent cars and comprising ahorizontally extending buffer member resiliently mounted at the end ofthe car for movement about a substantially vertical axis disposedsubstantially centrally of the car and for engagement by a correspondingbufier member of an adjacent car, closure means defining a passageway atthe center of said buffer member, and cooperating closure means carriedby the car and by said buffer member and forming substantially anextension of the sides and top of the car, said means comprising cowlingextending from the end of the car with a contour of substantially thesame size and shape as the sides and top of the car, a cooperatingstructure carried by said bufier member and having substantially thesame outer contour as said cowling, said structure being movable withsaid buffer member relatively to said'cowling, and means extendinginwardly from said structure and substantially closing the openingbetween said structure and cowling, said means having substantially thesame outer contour as said structure and cowling.

13. In a vestibule car of the non-articulated type having its own trucksand couplers for connection to an adjacent car and a vestibule having Iside doors and an end door, car end construction for forming aconnection with an adjacent car and comprising buffer structureresiliently mounted at the end or the car for movement about asubstantially vertical axis disposed substantially centrally of the carand having a flat end face in a plane transverse to the car for slidingcontact with bufler structure of an adjacent car, said bufier structureextending both vertically and horizontally and having an outer contoursubstantially the same as the sides and top of the car, closure meansdefining a passageway from said end door through the central portion ofsaid bufl'er structure, and closure means having substantially the samecontour as the sides and top of the car and substantially extending saidsides and top to the end of the car, said last named means comprisingcowling extending outwardly from the end or the car and means extendinginwardly from said structure and cooperating with said cowling.

14. In a vestibule car of the non-articulated type having its own trucksand a vestibule with side doors and an end door, a horizontallyextending butter member resiliently mounted at the end of the car formovement about a subcentrally of the car and for sliding contact with abuffer member of an adjacent car, flexible closure means extending fromsaidend door to said buffer member to define a passageway between cars,and cooperating closure means carried by the car and by said buffermember and forming a streamlining means, said means comprising car endstructure with an outer contour of substantially the same size and shapeas the sides and top of the car, a structure carried by said buffermember and having substantially the same outer contour as said endstructure, said structures having relative movementone within the other,and means cooperating with said structures for substantially closing theopening therebetween.

15. In a vestibule car of the non-articulated type having its own trucksand a vestibule with side doors and an end door, a horizontallyextending buffer member resiliently mounted at the end of the car forsliding contact with a buffer member of an adjacent car, a vestibuleface plate carried by said member and a flexible connection between saidend door .and face plate to define a passageway between cars, and outer'closure means adapted to provide a streamlined connection between cars,said means comprising car end structure forming an extension of thesides and top of the car, a structure resiliently mounted on the car formovement about a substantially vertical axis disposed substantiallycentrally of the car and having an outer contour of substantially thesame size and shape as-the sides and top of the car, and means extendinginwardly from said last named structure and movable within and in closeproximity to said car end and cooperating therewith to form asubstantially complete closure therebetween.

16. In a passenger car provided with a vestibule having side doors andan end door, car end construction for forming a streamlined connectionbetween cars comprising bufier structure resiliently mounted at the endof the car for movement about a substantially vertical axis disposedsubstantially centrally of the car and having a flat end face in a planetransverse to the car for contact with bufier structure of an adjacentcar, the outer contour of said buffer structure being substantially thesame as the sides and top of the car, closure means defining apassageway from said end door through the central portion of said buflerstructure, and streamline closure means having substantially the samecontour as the sides and top of the'car and cooperating with the sidesand top of the car and with said bufler structure to form substantiallyan extension of the sides and top to the end of the car, saidlast namedmeans permitting movement or said buflfer structure relative to the carbody on its resilient mounting.

17. In a railway vehicle, body structure including pockets adjacent thesides and top thereof, and a movable end member of rigid structureadjacent said body structure and including side and top apronstelescopingly received in said pockets and in streamline relation withthe sides and top of said body structure,'there being a vertical pivotalmounting for said end member at a point spaced from said body structureconstructed and arranged to provide pivoted movement of said end memberabout a substantially vertical axis disposed substantially centrally ofthe car.

SIGVABD SIMONSON.

